Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

I am also speaking for Deputy Clare Daly. The Socialist Party and the United Left Alliance condemn the brutal fashion in which the GAME workers are being treated. This is the third time in less than six months that a group of workers have been dealt with in such a callous and brutal fashion by a major company. How the GAME workers have been treated is as disgusting as the manner in which the Le Senza staff were treated by their employers at the beginning of January, betraying utter contempt for those who made fortunes for their employers and shareholders, particularly during a time of economic growth. This is a growing trend. Transnational and Irish companies believe that they can treat workers in the most callous way, pawns to be dismissed at a convenient opportunity.

It is incredible that workers can legally be thrown into this situation and a company can walk away by going into administration or using some other legal advice and pleading an inability to pay. What about the massive profits that this and other companies made in previous years? Clearly, legislation in this regard needs urgent and fundamental change. The trade union movement leadership needs to get off its seat, demand change and give the leadership that is required. GAME's outlets around the country depended on ordinary people's funds, but austerity's effect has been to reduce demand across the board. Therefore, it has been a part of the difficulty.

I express my solidarity with the workers and I welcome them to Dáil Éireann. I demand urgent action from the Government. Otherwise, the House will be debating a similar situation in a few weeks time.

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